Ganjang Gejang

Ganjang Gejang is lush, salty-sweet, and deeply umami, with delicate raw crab flesh steeped in a fragrant soy marinade of garlic, ginger, chili, and scallion. Served ice-cold, it is luxurious and intensely flavored, with a silky texture prized by seafood lovers.

Safety Warning

This recipe uses raw crab, which carries significant risk of foodborne illness and parasites if not sourced and handled to raw-consumption standards. Use only very fresh crab from a trusted supplier specifically suitable for raw marination, keep it below 4°C at all times, marinate under refrigeration, and do not serve to pregnant, elderly, immunocompromised, or very young people.

Nutrition · per serving

287kcal

26gProtein

18gCarbs

10gFat

1.1gFiber

2 servings

Ingredients

12 items

Crab and aromatics

raw blue crab, cleaned and halved600 g

scallions, cut into 5 cm lengths40 g

garlic cloves, sliced20 g

fresh ginger, sliced15 g

red chili, sliced10 g

Soy marinade

light soy sauce180 ml

water120 ml

rice syrup30 g

sugar15 g

rice vinegar15 ml

toasted sesame seeds8 g

sesame oil5 ml

Tips

•Because this is a raw crab preparation, the true minimum total time is far longer than the requested 10 minutes; safe marination and strict cold storage are essential.
•For the best texture, use female blue crab or Korean flower crab when available, and ask your fishmonger to clean and cut the crab for raw use.
•Do not reuse the marinade unless it is boiled thoroughly and used only for a cooked application.
•A small spoon is useful for scooping the roe and juices from the shell, traditionally one of the most prized bites.

Steps

1
Check that the raw crab is sushi-grade or specifically intended for raw marinating, very fresh, and kept thoroughly chilled. Pat dry if needed, then place the cleaned, halved crab in a non-reactive container in a single snug layer. This dish is not safely achievable from ordinary unreliably sourced raw crab.
600 g raw blue crab, cleaned and halved
2
Prepare the aromatics: cut the scallions, slice the garlic and ginger, and slice the red chili. Scatter half of them under and around the crab, reserving the rest for the top so the marinade contacts all surfaces evenly.
40 g scallions, cut into 5 cm lengths20 g garlic cloves, sliced15 g fresh ginger, sliced10 g red chili, sliced600 g raw blue crab, cleaned and halved
3
In a bowl, stir the soy sauce, water, rice syrup, sugar, rice vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves. Taste the liquid: it should be deeply savory, lightly sweet, and slightly sharp. Pour it over the crab, then add the remaining aromatics on top. Make sure the crab is mostly submerged; press down lightly or cover directly with parchment if needed.
180 ml light soy sauce120 ml water30 g rice syrup15 g sugar15 ml rice vinegar8 g toasted sesame seeds5 ml sesame oil40 g scallions, cut into 5 cm lengths20 g garlic cloves, sliced15 g fresh ginger, sliced10 g red chili, sliced600 g raw blue crab, cleaned and halved
4
Cover and refrigerate immediately. Marinate for at least 24 hours and up to 36 hours, turning once halfway through for even seasoning. The flesh should become slightly translucent and well seasoned but still smell clean and marine, never fishy or sour.
5
To serve, transfer the crab and some of the aromatics to chilled plates and spoon over a little marinade. Serve very cold, ideally with hot rice. Eat promptly and keep the dish refrigerated until the moment of serving.

Origin & History

Ganjang Gejang is a classic Korean preparation of raw crab marinated in soy sauce, long appreciated for its intensely savory, briny richness. Historically associated with coastal regions and seasonal crab harvests, it is considered a delicacy and is often enjoyed with bowls of steamed rice.

korean crab raw pescatarian marinated soy advanced

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Ganjang Gejang

Steps

Check that the raw crab is sushi-grade or specifically intended for raw marinating, very fresh, and kept thoroughly chilled. Pat dry if needed, then place the cleaned, halved crab in a non-reactive container in a single snug layer. This dish is not safely achievable from ordinary unreliably sourced raw crab.

600 g raw blue crab, cleaned and halved

Prepare the aromatics: cut the scallions, slice the garlic and ginger, and slice the red chili. Scatter half of them under and around the crab, reserving the rest for the top so the marinade contacts all surfaces evenly.

40 g scallions, cut into 5 cm lengths20 g garlic cloves, sliced15 g fresh ginger, sliced10 g red chili, sliced600 g raw blue crab, cleaned and halved

In a bowl, stir the soy sauce, water, rice syrup, sugar, rice vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves. Taste the liquid: it should be deeply savory, lightly sweet, and slightly sharp. Pour it over the crab, then add the remaining aromatics on top. Make sure the crab is mostly submerged; press down lightly or cover directly with parchment if needed.

180 ml light soy sauce120 ml water30 g rice syrup15 g sugar15 ml rice vinegar8 g toasted sesame seeds5 ml sesame oil40 g scallions, cut into 5 cm lengths20 g garlic cloves, sliced15 g fresh ginger, sliced10 g red chili, sliced600 g raw blue crab, cleaned and halved

Cover and refrigerate immediately. Marinate for at least 24 hours and up to 36 hours, turning once halfway through for even seasoning. The flesh should become slightly translucent and well seasoned but still smell clean and marine, never fishy or sour.

To serve, transfer the crab and some of the aromatics to chilled plates and spoon over a little marinade. Serve very cold, ideally with hot rice. Eat promptly and keep the dish refrigerated until the moment of serving.